cleaning your derailers

so winter is almost over, i think baltimore has had the last of it's snow and it's time to give a real cleaning to the bikes... obviously washing the frame, wheels, bars, etc is easy enough, and i know how to care for bearing parts like the hubs, headset and BB, but i was curious as to any tips on how to properly clean a derailer? what about brakes calipers? i obviously don't want (or need, i assume) to dismantle any part of these to get into all the little nooks and crannies that build up gunk. any suggestions? thanks

before posting, a "noob" should always ask themselves "could this have been answered by first visiting Sheldon Brown

I used to use a toothbrush... my brother's (just kidding). It actually worked better than the Park drivetrain cleaning brush which was really too big for the pulleys and stuff. Even then, I still remove the pulleys and cassette cogs clean everything really well about once a year.

I wipe it down, spray with White Lightning Clean Streak or brake cleaner, then when finally get to washing my bike i coat it with simple green or whatever cleaner i'm using and let it sit while i wash the rest of the bike. Scrub a bit, rinse, dry, lube, ride.

Originally Posted by jsharr

A girl once asked me to give her twelve inches and make it hurt. I had to make love to her 3 times and then punch her in the nose.